Aeroplane.



W Jaw Q7:

H. MUELLER.

AEROPLANB.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 31, 1908.

Patented Mar. 9, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Jaw 3113 2 J,

H. MUELLER.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED 001231, 1908.

Patented Mar. 9, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. MUELLER.

AEROPLANE.

APPLIOA'IION FILED 00131, 1908.

Patented Mar. 9, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

.Q NN mm m m an L MM Q HENRY MUELLER, or s r. ouis, MISSOURI.

AEROPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 9,, 1909.

Application filed October 31, 1908. Serial No. 460,680.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY MUELLER, a citizen of-the United States, and resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes,

of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in aeroplanes and has for its object to provide a plurality of planes mounted around a helicopter or .-whirling planes, a suitable frame"- PI'OVlClGd with a plurality of-propellers and an operating mechanism whereby ,the propellers and whirling planes may be ,independ ently operated.

A further object of my invention is to construct an aeroplane with a helicopter or whirl ng planes whereby the machine may be raised and a plurality of horizontal planes for retaining the machine in: the air, and a 0 plurality of propellers, for propelling the machine forwardly, the helicopter being at all. times in motion to retain the machine in elevated position and preventin'g'the same from capslzing.

In the draWings Figure 1 is a side elevathe upper planes 31.

. tion of my complete invention with a part of the carriage broken away and in section, showing the position of themotor for operat mg the whirling planes. Fig. 2 is a rear end v ew of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the motor frame. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of one of the upper planes. Fig; is a top plan view of the center plane. I Fig. 6 is a top plan view of one of the lower planes.

s5,F1g. 7 1s a detail perspective view of one of the rudders; Fig. 81s a detail perspective view of the frontend of the lower lanes, showing the raising and lowering rud er.

In the construction of my invention I provide a suitable frame 9 on which is supported a plurality of cross-bars. 10, on. the ends of which 'are'suppo'rted bearings 11 in which operate the propeller shafts 12. On the pro peller shafts are mounted propellers 13 15 which are driven by sprocket chains 14 communicating with the drive wheels 15 of the motor 16; the motor 16 is suspended on the frame by means of the supporting bars 17. The opposite end of said motor is provided $0 with a gear wheel 18 meshing with a gear pinion 19, said pinion mounted on the center propeller shaft 20 which extends forwardly and is supported on the projecting end of the nected together by the'ring 34, the rear. .end

planes 37, all of said forward movement f of, the machine.-

frame, and on the end ofsaid shaft is the '5 centerpropel1er21. g

Suspended from the frame 9 is a carriage 22in which is located a motor 23 and a suitable bearing 24 in which is supported the lower end of the helicopter or whirling plane shaft 25. On the shaft 25 -is mounted a bevel gear pinion 26 arranged to mesh-with the bevel gear 27 located on the motor shaft and by this mechanism the shaft 25 is revolved. The shaft 25 projects upwardly and on the same is mounted a plurality of whirling planes 28 of increased size, the largest being at the extreme upper end of the shaft. On said shaft 25 is mounteda sleeve 1 29 from which radiates projectin rods or arms 30 and-to the same is attachec These planes consist of a suitable frame covered with light material, a portion of said planes being securely fastened to the supports 30 and bent upwardly as indicated by the numeral 32in Fig. 1. These planes are stationary.

Beneath the upper planes anda suitable distance therefrom is located a center plane 33 of the constructiofias shown in Fig. 5 consisting of two. sections, their inner ends conprovided with a bracket 35 to whichi pivoted the upper front end of the rudder 36.

Beneath the plane 33 and a suitable distance therefrom is located a pair of lower planes being suitably raced together by guy rods 38and also supported to the frame by similar rods so as to retain the several parts in rigid position. 7 'f At'the front of the lower planes 37 and between the same is hin'gedly secured a raising and lowering rudder 39; to this rudder is at,-

tached a regulating rod 40 which extends .downwardlyinto the carriage and is manipu- This lated by means of the hand lever 11. raising and lowering rudder is constructed in the shape of an arrow head and is utilized to assist the" operator intilting the aeroplane so as to-ascendor descend, regulating the same in accordance with the movement as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

To the rear end of the lower planes-37 is attached-a bracket 42 to which is connected the lower end of the rudder 36 and to said rudder is attached an operating rod 43 by which the same may be shifted in order to regulate ltge e lower end of the operating rod 43 is provided with a bevel gear 44 which meshes with a like gear eamounted upon a shaft 46; this shaft I floating the machine.

is sup orted in-the carriage, the front end provi ed with suitable gearing and the shaft The 0 eration of my im roved aeroplane is as f0 ows: When it is desired to ascend, the o erator laces in operation the motor 23 e. I n u I rap y a'evo mg the whirhng planes. The raising and lowering rudder is tilted upwardly and the propellers revolved at a very low rate of speed. After the machine has reached the height desired, the movement of the pro ellers is increased and the revolving planes ecreased to a revolution sufficient to retain the same in an elevated position in connection with the horizontal stationary planes and by the continuous revolution of the whirling planes it will cause suflicient agitation of the air beneath the stationary hori-' zontal planes to float the same and prevent the. machine from ca sizing.

Having fully descri ed my invention, what I claim is 1. An aeroplane comprising a frame, a plu- .rality of whirling planes; a plurality of stational'; horizontal planes interposed between supported on the frame, and means or erat the propellers and whirling planes indepen ently' 0 each other, substantially as specified.

the whirling planes; a pluralityof profpellers eratin 2. An aeroplane comprising a suitable frame; a carriage; a vertical operating shaft supported in said carriage; a pluralit of whirling planes supported on said sha t; a plurality of horizontal stationary planes supported around the shaft and interposed between the whirling planes; a motor for opprope ers supported by the frame; a motor for operating the same at raising and lowering rudder and a guide rudder; and means for operating said rudders, substantially as speci ed.

3. A device of the class described comprising a suitable frame;a )lurality of horizontal stationaryplanes ocated 'above the same; a carriage suspended from the frame; a plurality of whirling planes of increased size, the largest located. at the top;. a shaft for supporting the same, and a motor for placing the same in operation, substantially as specified.

' 4.. A device of the class described comprising a suitable frame; a plurality of horizontal'stationary planes supported to each other and to the frame, in combination with a helicopter revolubly mounted between and above said planes; a, plurality of propellers and a means for operating the pro ellers and 'hehcopter at varying speeds simu taneously for raising and advancing the movement of the aerop ane, and a plurality of rudders for guidin the motion of said aeroplane, substantia y as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY MUELLER. Witnesses:

ALFRED A. Erolrs, WALTER O. STEIN;

the "whirling planes; a plurality of I 

